Top prospects Maikel Franco, Jesse Biddle invited to big-league camp

The Phillies' top position player and pitching prospects, Maikel Franco and Jesse Biddle, were invited to big-league spring training Wednesday, although neither may have a chance at winning a job.

Franco will compete with Cody Asche for third base. Asche is the favorite in that competition given his decent production as a rookie in the final months of 2013. Franco is viewed as the future at the position; the 21-year-old Dominican solidified top-prospect status with 31 homers last season.

Biddle, the Germantown Friends graduate and former first-round pick, is likely ticketed for triple-A Lehigh Valley next April. Manager Ryne Sandberg said last month Biddle is a "back-burner type of possibility" for the 2014 rotation. He posted a 3.64 ERA at double-A Reading in 2013 with 10 strikeouts per nine innings.